1,400 Pegasus spyware infections detailed in WhatsApp’s lawsuit filings

Key Points	Details
NSO Group’s Pegasus Spyware Exploits	NSO Group admitted to developing Pegasus spyware exploits targeting 1,400 WhatsApp users in 2019. The operation used zero-click installation vectors, including methods dubbed “Eden” and “Heaven.”
WhatsApp Lawsuit	WhatsApp filed a lawsuit against NSO Group in 2019, alleging violations of federal and state laws, as well as WhatsApp’s Terms of Service.
Targets of Pegasus	Victims included journalists, human rights activists, political dissidents, diplomats, and foreign government officials.
Exploitation Techniques	NSO extracted and reverse-engineered WhatsApp’s code, using a modified client application called the WhatsApp Installation Server (WIS) to send malformed messages that installed Pegasus.
Defeated Exploits	WhatsApp’s security updates in 2018 and 2019 defeated the exploits. NSO then developed new vectors, including Eden and Erised, to bypass updates.
Turnkey Access for Customers	NSO provided customers with a virtual private server to anonymously use Pegasus. Customers only needed to input a target device number for Pegasus to remotely install spyware and retrieve data.
NSO Group’s Denial	NSO claims it only provides technology to its clients and does not access the intelligence gathered.
Court Filings	Unredacted filings reveal admissions from NSO employees and leadership about their development and deployment of Pegasus.
High-Profile Targets	Pegasus was reportedly used against Dubai’s Princess Haya and others linked to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, including his daughters.
WhatsApp Security Efforts	WhatsApp claims its team repeatedly blocked Pegasus intrusions and is committed to holding NSO accountable for its actions.
Legal and Ethical Concerns	WhatsApp asserts that NSO’s operations violated U.S. laws and harmed civil society by targeting vulnerable groups.
NSO Group’s Future Response	NSO plans to counter the claims in court, maintaining its stance that its clients alone operate the system.

Read full article: https://therecord.media/pegasus-spyware-infections-detailed-whatsapp-lawsuit

Disclaimer: The above summary has been generated by an AI language model